Refrigerating system



8, E9310 H. c. KELLOGG 1,835,785

REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed June 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 2/ 7 Herberf C. HeHogg F 9- my ATTORNEW Dfi &, E g H c KELLOGG E $35J85 REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed June 25. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A INVENTOR i t", BY Herben C. Kellogg F1' 9 H. Mm X ATTORNE tf Patented Dec. 8, 1931 TED STATES PATENT. OFFICE HERBERT C. KELIiOGG, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE RUSS MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO REFRIGERATING sYs'rEM Application filed June 25,

lhis invention relates to refrigerating systems of the type which include an evaporator or boiler in which a liquid refrigeration is maintained within the desired temperature range by means of an automatically controlled compressor which is intermittently operated by suitable control means to reduce the pressure above the liquidrefrigerant in the evaporator andto thereby accelerate the vaporization of the liquid refrigerant and cause the temperature thereof to be reduced to the desired point. When the temperature is reduced to the desired degree, the operation of the compressor is arrested.

' The present invention has for an object to provide a refrigerating system in which the liquid refrigerant is automatically pumped from an automatically controlled evaporator or boiler to an auxiliary evaporator and in which the fluctuating pressure within the system is utilized to operate the pumping means. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating system comprising a main evaporator and an auxiliary evaporator in which the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in both the evaporators is controlledby the same compressor and in which the liquid is automatically supplied to the auxiliary evaporator from the main evaporator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressure operated pump for circulating liquid in refrigerating systems in which the operation of the pump is controlled by fluctuations in the pressure within the system.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise the refrigerating system as illustrated in the ac companying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification in which: V

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a refrigerating cabinet for soda fountains, a portion of the 1928. Serial No. 287,988.

rear wall being broken away to show parts of the refrigerating system.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line indicated at 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the pump casing taken on the line indicated at 33 in Fig. 4. a

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the pump casinggtaken on the line indicated at Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a transverse section through the auxiliary evaporator.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of a meat cabinet.

- Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the cabinet shown in Fig. 6 with a portion broken away to show parts of the refrigerating system.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line indicated at 88 in Fig. 7.

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views showing connections between the auxiliary evaporator and the liquid supply pipe and the liquid evaporator and suction pipe respectively.

7 Referring first to the modifications shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, in which the invention is shown as applied to a soda fountain, the soda fountain cabinet 1 is shown provided with a pump rack 2 in which is mounted a longitudinal row of syrup jars 3.- In the lower portion of the cabinet, there is an evaporator compartment 4 in which is mounted a main evaporator 5, and extending along the row of jars 3, there is an auxiliary evaporator 6 of tubular form, which is preferably of transversely elongated cross section. The main evaporator 5 is supplied with liquid refrigerant through a pipe 7 which is con- 5 above the level of the liquid. The vapor of the liquidrefrigerant is drawn off through the pipe 8 and the pipe 9 maintains substantially the same pressures above the liquids in the main and auxiliary evaporators so that the temperature of the liquid in both the main and auxiliary evaporator-s can be maintained at approximately the desired point by the automatically operated compress r.-

Refrigerating systems employing evaporators in which the temperature of the liquid refrigerant is regulated by an automatically controlled compressor are well known in the art. The present invention comprises means utillzing the fluctuations of pressure in the system to pump the liquid refrigerant automatically from one part of the system to another and particularly to pump the liquid refrigerant from a main evaporator to an' casing 13. The pump casing 13 receives liquid from the main evaporator 5 through a pipe 14 which communicates with the evaporator 5 below the level of the liquid therein and delivers liquid into the casing 13 through an opening 15, in the bottom thereof.

The opening 15 in the bottom of the casing 13 communicates with a valve chamber 16 which is formed by an upstanding rib or for a valve disc .19 which serves as a check flange 17 integral with the bottom of the easing 13 and surrounding the opening 15. Within the annular wall 17 of the valve chamber, there is a short annular rib 18 at the margin of the opening 15 which forms a seat valve preventing back flow of liquid from the pump chamber, through the opening 15. The

disc 19 is somewhat smaller thanthe internal diameter of the valve 16 and is provided with projecting peripheral portions 20 which are adapted to engage with a stop ring 21 which is detachably secured in a groove on the interior of the annular wall 17 adjacent the top thereof. Whenever the pressure of the liquid below the valve 19 exceeds the pressure within the chamber, the valve disc 19v will be lifted and liquid will flow into'the pump chamber.

Thepump chamber is provided with an outlet passage 22 which is cored in an extension 23 formed integrally with the side wall and to which the pipe 11 is connected. In

order to prevent liquid which has been forced into the pipe 11 from the pump chamber from returning by gravity into the pump chamber,- a check valve is preferably provided at theoutlet as well as at the inlet of the pump chamber. The passage 22 opens into a valve chamber24 and this chamber has communication with the pipe 11 through a cored passage 25 extending laterally from the chamber 24. The passage 22 opens centrally into the bottom of the chamber and is surrounded by an upstanding annular rib 26 which forms a seat for a valve disc 27 similar to the valve disc 19 above described. The upper end of the valve chamber 24 is closed by a threaded plug 28 which has av projection 29 of reduced diameter atits lower end. The valve disc 27 has movement between its seat 26 and the projection 29 of the closure plug. Whenever the pressure of the liquid within the pump chamber exceeds the pressure in the valve chamber 24, the valve 27 will be'lifted from its seat permitting the liquidto flow from 1 the pump chamber into the pipe 11, and upon reduction of pressure in the pum chamber, the valve 27 will have dropped own upon its seat to prevent return flow of liquid from the pipe 11.

The pump casing 13 is provided with a removable top 30 which is secured in place by means of bolts 31 and to the underside of this cover, there is secured by a fluid tight connection, a bellows 32 of tubular form which is closed at its lower end by means of a disc 33. The cover 30 has a central threaded opening which is closed by a screw plug 34 which carries adjacent its periphery a series of downwardly projecting stop pins 35 which are engaged by the closure disc 33 upon upward movement thereof, thus limiting the collapsing movement of the bellows. The plug 34 is provided with a small air passage 36 which serves to maintain atmospheric pressure within the bellows 32. A compression coil spring 37 is interposed between the disc 33 at the lower end of the bellows and the underside of the closure plug 34, the disc 33 being provided on its upper side with a central b of the spring 37 and the plug 34 being provided with a recess 39 which receives the upper end of the spring.

In the operation of the refrigerating system, the pressure above the liquid in the main and auxiliary evaporators 5 and 6 is at times reduced in order to cause evaporation and consequent-cooling of the liquid. When the temperature of the liquid has been reduced to the desired point, the compressor which is automatically controlled (mases to operate and pressure is allowed to gradually build up above the liquid until the temperature of the liquid has been raised a few degrees, whereupon the compressor controlling mechanism is operated to start the compressor and reduce the pressure in the evaporators. In the normal operation of the system, there are, therefore, periodic fluctuations in pressure due to the intermittent operation of the compressor and these pressure variations are utilized in the present invention for the operaoss 38 which fits within the lower endtion ofthe pump. Since the pump casing 13 is located below the level of the liquid in the evaporator 5, liquid from the evaporator 5 will normally flow into the pump casing 13, fill the pump casing and extend up into pipe 11 to the level of the liquid in the evaporator 5. Since the check valve 19 opens inwardly, and the check valve 27 opens outwardly, neither valve will interfere with this flow of liquid. Assuming that the compressor has stopped operating, the pressure in the system will gradually increase and as the pressure increases, the bellows 32 will be gradually collapsed until the disc 33 engages with the stop pins 35. At the same time, any gases and vapors'trapped in the pump chamber 13 above the level of the outlet 22 will be compressed. The collapsing of the bellows and compression of the gaseous content of the pump chamber enlarges the volumetric capacity of the pump chamber, permitting more liquid to flow from the evaporator 5 into the pump chamber, the pump chamber with the collapsible bellows therein thus being an elastically expansible chamber receiving a greater amount of liquid as the pressure on the liquid is increased.

"When the compressor is again started into operation, reducing the pressure in the system, liquid is prevented from flowing back to the evaporator 5 by the check Valve 19 and the energy stored in the elastic bellows 32 and coil spring 37 by the compression of the bellows and also the pressure of the entrapped gas is now exerted upon the liquid which is forced out past the check valve 27 into the pipe 11 in which the pressure has also been reduced, the pipe 11 delivering the liquid into the auxiliary evaporator 6. The reduction in pressure also causes vaporization of liquid in the pump chamber and pipe 11 causing the same to boil the liquid beingmaterially lightened by vapor bubbles so that the flow from the pump chamber to the auxiliary evaporator is materially accelerated. After the bellows 32 has expanded to a point where the exterior pressure of the liquid thereon counter-balances the internal pressure of the air, the spring 37 and the inherent resiliency of i the bellows there will be no further flow through the pipe 11 toward the auxiliary evaporator 6, but the check valve will prevent reverse flow of liquid. Upon discontinuation of the operation of the compressor and increase of pressure in the system, additional liquid will again be forced .into the pump chamber collapsing the bellows as above set forth, all of the additional liquid being forced from the evaporator 5 since the check valve 27 will prevent liquid being forced back into the pump'chamber through the pipe 11.

In Figs. 6 to 10 of the drawings,-the invention is shown applied to a meat cabinet. As shown in these views, a meat cabinet 40 is provided at the top thereof with an en- .wardly inclined glass panel 42 at the front thereof and provided with sliding doors 43 at the rear thereof. In the bottom of this cablnet, there is provided an evaporator compartment 44 in which is mounted a suitable evaporator 45 which is supplied with liquid refrigerant through a pipe 46 and from which vapors are exhausted by means of a pipe 47, the pipes 46 and 47 being connected respectively to the pressure and suction sides of a suitable automatically controlled compressor as well understood in the art. An auxiliary evaporator extends along the top of the meat compartment 41 and this evaporator consists of a plurality of parallel elongated tubular containers extending the full length of the cabinet and connected at their ends to provide a continuous chamber.

A pipe 49 communicates with the top of one of the tubes of the auxiliary evaporator through an opening 50 and is connected at its lower end to the top of the evaporator 45. Another of the tubes 48 of the auxiliary evaporator is connected to a pipe 51 which communicates with the interior of the tube through an opening 52 intermediate the top and bottom of the tube and with the upper portion of a pump casing 53 which is connected by a pipe 54 with the bottom of the main evaporator 45. Pump 53 in this case is identical in all respects to the pump shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the operation of the system is substantially the same as that above described.

It will be apparent that the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive I automatically operating pump for delivering liquid refrigerant from an evaporator to higher levels in refrigerating systems; that this pump is positive and reliable in its operation, requires no exterior controlling mechanism and will operate for long periods without repair.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the'particular form 'of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and that various modifiliquid levels therein, and means controlled tors for pumpingliquid from one evaporator to the other.

2. A refrigerating system comprising two evaporators, each adapted tocontain a liquid refrigerant, said evaporators being in open communication one with the other above the by fluctuations of pressure in said evapora liquid levels therein, and means for delivering liquid refrigerant from one evaporator to the other comprising a pump operated by the liquid upon fluctuation of the pressure of the liquid.

3. A refrigerating system comprising two evaporators, each adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant, said evaporators being in open communication one with theother above the liquid levelstherein, a pump connected to the evaporators, means for admitting liquid from one evaporator to the pump upon increase of pressure in the system and means for cutting off communication with said first mentioned evaporator and for forcing liquid from said pump to the other evaporator upon a subsequent decrease of pressure.

4. A refrigerating system comprising a main evaporator adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant, an auxiliary evaporator at a higher level than the first, an open passage connecting said evaporators above the levels of the liquid therein, and a pump controlled by fluctuations of pressure in the system for delivering liquid from the main evaporator to the auxilliary evaporator.

5. A refrigerating system comprising amain evaporator adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant, an auxilliary evaporator at a higher level than the first, an open passage connecting said evaporators above the levels of the liquid therein, a chamber having an inv let connected to the main evaporator and an outlet connected to the auxilliary evaporator, means for admitting liquid to said chamber upon an increase in the pressure in said system, and means for forcing liquid from said chamber to the auxilliary evaporator upon a decrease in the pressure in said system.

6. A refrigerating system comprising two evaporators, each adapted to contain a refrigerating liquid, said evaporators being in open communication above the levels of the liquid therein, an elastically expansible chamber having an inlet port in communication with one evaporator below the level of liquid therein and an outlet port communicating with the other evaporator, and a pressure cont-rolled valve for cutting off the flow of liquid from said first evaporator to said chamber.

7. A refrigerating system comprising two evaporators, each adapted to contain a refrigerating liquid, said evaporators being in open communication above the levels of the liquid therein, an elastically expansible chamber having an inlet port in communication with one evaporator below the level of liquid therein and an outlet port communicating with the other evaporator, and an inwardly opening check valve controlling the inlet port.

8. A refrigerating system comprising a main evaporator adapted to contain a liquid refrigerant, an auxiliary evaporator at a 

